the Queen-To-Be and the Servant Girl
by Maiden of The Bear Spear
Summary: In which there are more characters and more plot than the original story and Prince Charming has siblings. More than just romance and balls. Cinderella x Prince Charming, OC x OC.


Prologue

AN: Obviously, I do not own the rights to the tale of Cinderella.

On a dark and stormy night,a caravan of travelers came into the Horse and Cabbage inn, sopping wet. Seeing as the group was a large, prosperous one, the staff at the Horse and Cabbage promptly went in motion. Such a large party rarely seen during this season, very little business occurred this time of the year.

To the innkeeper's amazement,the large party was composed of servants and guards working for noble and three girls. Two of whom were obviously her daughters, the third he was not certain. A ward or a niece, perhaps? The noblewoman, a lady, and the girls took the best rooms in the inn. None of them left their rooms, instead a serving girl carefully brought up trays of the cook's best dishes.

Reasons for their travel was provided by the guards and the servants eating in the dining area. The lady's southron husband had died, leaving her widowed. Since there was nothing left to keep her in the south, she decided to return to her home in the north. Apparently the guards and servants from a cousin, for her safety and comfort. They would return to him once they reached her home.

"And be glad of it," a guard said, taking gulp out of his tankard. "Not 'tis hard. Tedious, rather. but her ladyship and 'dem girls, I mean. More trouble then they're worth. She has not a kind bone in her body, she and her daughters demandin' to stop every few miles, then gripe about the pace. Oh, I long to go back to the Duke, nothin' like his cousin, no mistakin'." He shook his head, taking another swig. His friend another guard, disagreed. "Nay, the girl is more troublesome. I had to fetch her once and she was by a cave full of bears, tryin' to get a closer look. Even though I could see the bears clearly from where we standing."

Curious, the innkeeper asked, " the girl?" the guard nodded, " the little girl that came along with her ladyship and her two daughters, though I don't know why. 'Tis not in her nature to such a thing, a curious matter." He pondered, "a curious matter indeed."

"Harcourt has had the duty of rounding up the girl when we start moving after stopping. Five time he's found her up a tree. In one day!"

"Aye, less then five times, Llelliam, you exaggerate." A cheerful-guard walked up, tankard in his hand.

"Harcourt,are you trying to deny she's hard to take care of?"

"Not hard than my young kin back home. The girl is good lass, just suffered loss."

"Pert," another guard blurted out. "Yea, 'tis better than those girls or their mother. Wicked, they are not a good lot, wouldn't trust them. The mother especially, she's brewing up to no good, 'tis certainty." The two other guards could not argue, having just spoken of her unpleasant demeanor moments before Harcourt arrived in the conversation. The men merely mutter murmurs of agreement into their tankards.

Harcourt sighed, "I just hope the girl comes to no harm because of it."

#

Up,on the next the story of the inn were the guest rooms. Rain drummed on the windows harshly, making whispers unheard in the rooms.

In one of the rooms, the Lady Trevillian, her daughters, and stepdaughter stood about to change from their wet clothes. However, her stepdaughter noticed something was servants had brought up the traveling luggage for her stepmother and step sisters, but not hers. "Stepmother," she asked, "where is my luggage? I must change from my dripping wet clothes."

"You will change from your wet clothes." Even more confused, the child asked, "but what am I to wear?"

"I have acquired new clothes for you, over there," she said, nodding towards a satchel of roughly woven fabric. Quickly, the fair-haired child trotted over to the bag. Opening it, she grew even more disgruntled. " Why these aren't new clothes at all! Nothing is in here but old servant's clothes? They smell like ash! Ugh!" the child vehemently threw down the clothes on the floor.

In a cold, controlling manner, the woman stepped toward her. "Stop it. Pick up the clothes, now. Since your father has died and we are away from your grandfather's province, you will no longer call me 'stepmother,' but henceforth address me as 'Lady Trevillian.' Understood?"

"But Papa said-"

Before she finished her sentence, the noblewoman quickly grabbed her arm. Holding it in a vice-like grip certain to leave a red mark,she replied, "I care not what your papa said. He's gone. You will obey me, and not mention my being your stepmother ever again," she shook her arm. "Understood?" the little girl tersely nodded in agreement. Turning her head to face her own daughters, the noblewoman ordered, "none of us will mention this ever." The young girls quickly nodded.

Stiffly,the child bent down to reach for the bag,once her arm was released. Carefully, she stripped down to her undergarments and put on the servant's clothes with a grimace. Lady Trevillian swiftly picked up the girl's old clothes and threw them into the fire. Turning around to face her stepdaughter, the woman stated, "from now on, you are no longer my stepdaughter, but a orphaned daughter of a servant from my late husband's household. Once we arrive home, you will become one of the household staff and do servant's work. You will eat with them and sleep in their quarters. No acknowledgment of your life before will be mentioned. You will be severely if failing to do so. No mention of your former name will be made." She put her finger to her chin. "From now on, your name will be ...Ella."

Lighting flashed from the window, filling the room with light. In one brief,moment, Lady Trevillian was transformed into someone else entirely. Her entire form was washed out of color, aside from the shadows. Worst of all was the expression on the woman's face was altered to another cruelty. Robbed of flush, her cheeks appeared gaunt. But her eyes were even more terrible to behold. Completely enclosed in shadow, her eyes were invisible, appearing as two dark caverns, unblinking. She was, in effect, the very image of cruelty. Many years later, the girl will remember this moment and realize the lighting revealed her true form. Instinctively, she stepped back from the woman, her eyes never leaving her face, shocked at the sudden change in her stepmother. The usually fearless girl was wary, having enough sense to know she would have to be careful, very careful.

#

Meanwhile, the horses in the stables, sensing the storm neighed loudly and stomped their hoofs in the stalls. In the inn he livery servants heard animals' cries of discomfort. Slamming their tankards hard enough for the liquid to slosh over, the men hurried out the door. Harcourt shook his head at the backs of the livery. "See? Even the animals can sense it. There is something wrong in the land, I can feel it. Something is not right.

Llelliam and the other guards watched him with bemusement. Whereas, the innkeeper and the others were full of perturbed curiosity. Late that night the innkeeper would write down in his log the events of the day, of the traveling party and the peculiarities of Harcourt's words, taking note of the date. He would be called to show this post in his logbook years later as evidence.

Harcourt took a last swig of his tankard, slowly savoring the Horse and Cabbage's specialty, a violet-hibiscus tea. "Come on lads, let us attend to our own steads," Llelliam called out. The other guards groaned and took a last drink, following after him. The departure of both the livery and the guards left the dining area significantly more empty than before.

The innkeeper was in deep thought while wiping down the tables with a rag. Left with an uneasy feeling by the storm and the guard's words, he wondered what else would happen next.

#

By early morning, the storm had subsided, leaving puddles of water in the muddy yard. Puffy white clouds dotted the vibrant blue sky, nonetheless, the guards urged Lady Trevillian to rush her routine in order to get an early start. At first, the lady objected, but a guardsman quickly halted her. "No, milady, we cannot. We don't trust the weather. Those clouds could easily change into a thunderstorm. We would like some leeway before it occurs." Reluctantly, the lady obliged, forcing the Inn into a whirlwind of activity at an early hour. All the were servants packing and preparing for the journey, whereas the innkeeper and his staff hurried about, serving breakfast to the traveling party.

Sunlight dimly streamed through the windows, belying the fact it was early morning. Having prepared for travel beforehand, the lady and the girls silently ate their breakfast. 'Ella' as she must be called now, had stiffly stretched from in front of the fireplace. Her stepmother had forbade her to sleep in one of the beds, "that servant girls sleep on the floor when sharing a room with nobility." So a pallet was made for her in front of the fireplace. Catching the servants' pitiful glances, she assumed they had beds in other rooms. Fortunately, she had a down-stuffed pillow, and fell asleep, eventually.

Sweet breakfast rolls and sausage were quickly eaten. Once the early meal was finished, they walked out of the rooms. For the servants had already finished packing by then.

Ella, having sprinted ahead of the others, was about to climb on the carriage, when a haughty voice halted her. "Stop, Cinderella! Ladies first!" A burst of snickers erupted behind her. Swiftly, she spun around to see one her stepsisters wearing a satisfied expression. The noblewoman gave her daughter a proud smile. Peering at her stepdaughter she said, "an apt name for being covered in ashes and soot. Cinderella it is. Your name shall be Cinderella."


End file.
